Trafford

Trafford's population grew between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, ethnicity and health.

The population reached nearly 230,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Trafford increased by 7.8%, from just over 210,000 to 227,000.

The addition of just over 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Trafford was home to, on average, 15 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Trafford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Trafford increased by one year, from 38 to 39 years.

This suburban area had a slightly higher average age than the North West and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 6,400 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 16% of people in Trafford are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Trafford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Trafford saw the North West's largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) households in Trafford had no children, compared with 61% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 29% to 31%.

Across the region, Blackpool saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households without children (from 66% in 2001 to 65% in 2011).

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Relationships in Trafford

The proportion of married people fell in Trafford, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North West.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 50% to 45%.

During this period, Trafford went from having the 26th-highest to the 14th-highest percentage of married people out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people living alone

Trafford saw the North West's second-largest fall in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households in Trafford had only one person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 7.8% to 9.6%.

Across the region, only Manchester saw a greater fall in the proportion of one-person households (from 39% to 35%).

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Trafford

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 23% said they had no religion. An increase from 13% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Trafford.

The percentage increased at a similar rate to the average across the North West (from 10% to 20%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Trafford that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 160,000 in 2001 to about 140,000 in 2011 (from 76% to 63%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 13,000 to about 14,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 6.4% to 6.3%.

About 13,000 people (3.3%) said they were Muslim, up from about 7,000 in 2001 (5.7%).

The population without a religion in Trafford increased by 9.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Trafford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Trafford

The percentage of Trafford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.2%, while the percentage of Trafford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Trafford

In 2011, 86% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 92% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Trafford.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the North West (from 94% to 90%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Trafford from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 9,600 in 2001 to about 18,000 in 2011 (from 4.6% to 7.9%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 4,100 to about 6,500 (from 2.0% to 2.9%).

Just over 6,000 people (1.5%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 3,200 in 2001 (2.7%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Trafford decreased by 6.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Trafford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Trafford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.0% to 5.2% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Trafford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Trafford decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Trafford, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Trafford, but at a slower rate than in Salford (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Trafford).

In Trafford, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.9% in 2001 to 13% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Salford increased from 8.8% to 19%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Trafford fell from 17% to 16%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 72% to 69%.

Private renting in Trafford increased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Trafford, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Trafford working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 8.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Trafford decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Trafford, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Trafford residents that were unemployed increased from 2.7% to 3.8% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55% in 2001. The percentage of Trafford residents that were self-employed increased from 8.0% to 9.7%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Trafford increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Trafford, the North West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Trafford residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.9% to 2.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Trafford remained close to 2.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Trafford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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